Integration of a point-of-care blood analyzer into a prehospital telemedicine system

A prehospital monitor-defibrillator local-area-network of an emergency medical services (EMS) vehicle, the prehospital monitor-defibrillator local-area-network comprising a point-of-care blood analyzer communicatively coupled to at least one of a physiologic monitor and an electronic patient care reporting (ePCR) system,

• wherein the physiologic monitor is configured to obtain information concerning a patient's need for an angiography procedure and to obtain physiological data for the patient, wherein the point-of-care blood analyzer is configured to perform an analysis of a blood sample,
• wherein an execution of the analysis is contingent upon completion of an electronic checklist or clinical decision rule-implemented on the physiologic monitor using the physiological data for the patient,
• wherein the physiologic monitor is configured to restrict use of the point-of-care blood analyzer prior to completion of the electronic checklist or clinical decision rule,
• wherein completion of the electronic checklist or the clinical decision rule triggers the physiologic monitor to display a prompt indicating that it is appropriate to perform the analysis and to electronically enable the point-of-care blood analyzer to perform the analysis, and
• wherein the prehospital monitor-defibrillator local-area-network is configured to:
• extract specific patient data from the ePCR system;
• calculate a risk score using both a result of the analysis and the specific patient data extracted from the ePCR system, wherein the risk score represents the patient's risk for contrast-induced nephropathy;
• and
• transmit, to a remote data receiving system of a hospital before the patient arrives at the hospital, the information concerning the patient's need for the angiography procedure and the risk score.

A method of using a prehospital telemedicine system to improve treatment of a patient undergoing a medical emergency, comprising:

• communicatively coupling a point-of-care blood analyzer with at least one of a physiologic monitor and an electronic patient care reporting (ePCR) system, wherein the prehospital telemedicine system is configured to be carried in an emergency medical services (EMS) vehicle, and wherein the physiologic monitor is configured to restrict use of the point-of-care blood analyzer prior to completion of an electronic checklist or clinical decision rule implemented on the physiologic monitor using physiological data;
• obtaining information concerning a patient's need for an angiography procedure and the physiological data for the patient using the physiologic monitor;
• determining that a result of the electronic checklist or clinical decision rule indicates that it is appropriate to perform an analysis of a blood sample;
• based on the determining, displaying a prompt on the physiologic monitor indicating that it is appropriate to perform the analysis and electronically enabling the point-of-care blood analyzer to perform the analysis using the physiologic monitor;
• using the point-of-care blood analyzer to perform the analysis of a blood sample;
• extracting specific patient data from the ePCR system;
• calculating a risk score using both a result of the analysis and the specific patient data extracted from the ePCR system, wherein the risk score represents the patient's risk for contrast-induced nephropathy;
• and
• transmitting, to a remote data receiving system of a hospital before the patient arrives at the hospital, the information concerning the patient's need for the angiography procedure and the risk score.